The Fallen Houses Saga
by Zourn Ea'plh
Summary: The Houses of Menzoberranzan, has fallen into utter chaos, the council of the top eight houses is gone. Houses hold secret alliances to overthrow the First House Baenre, House Ea'plh is among those rival houses . . .
1. Chapter 1: The settings of life

Prelude  
  
All of my work is based on: R.A. Salvatore's Series on Drizzit Do'Urden, even though he is not in the story. Some names have been used for reference of any reader's of his work, the main character is of my own making though. Also on a lighter note, I'm slow with my writings sometime like everyone else it seems -.-' so bear with me =-D  
  
Zourn Ea'plh, Weapons Master of House Ea'plh rested on one of the many mushrooms by the moos bed in the Northern part of Menzoberranzan. He often did this after the fall of another house from the twisted manners of Drow society. Although he could care less if it even happened. This was the way of the Drow, unfeeling, forever plotting to be the number one house. Lolth the Goddess that the Drow followed and worshiped, with her blessing houses would throw all of their might and will into he bidding like unthinking beasts. It was never like this before the fall of the Council of Menzoberranzan. Those who are foolish enough to think they can escape the world of the Drow are better off dead. The Spider Queen does not allow anyone to leave. Not even on Patrol duties like 3 decades ago. Thirty years wasn't so long in the life of a Drow. The average Drow would live about seven or eight centuries, if you were a Noble that is. Commoners, aren't valued much, even Cousin and such aren't though to be of any value. Zourn always wondered how his race could have come to such horrible standards, but to speak these words would be asking to have your Matron Mother rip open your chest and pull out your black heart for Lolth. He learned long ago not the disrespect the Matron Mother or any females at that either. Zourn noticed the time clock of Menzoberranzan, Narbondel it glows with the magical fires at the base and then rise during the day. Only the appointed Arch mage was allowed to cast this spell. Zourn using his better judgment decided it was to head back home. Leaning off the Mushroom, he walked over to his Subterranean Lizard and got on. Zourn kicked the lizard into motion while he clamped on hard to the saddle as the lizard walked up the side of the wall into the even darker shadows of Menzoberranzan. 


	2. Chapter 2: Torment's and Lies

Chapter 2: Torment's and Lies  
  
I would like to thank Icy for the advice on my writing, and no I don't hate you =-D anyways don't be afraid to pick on my story of any plot holes . . . . I'm working hard on that part more than anything, so I guess I slipped in my story format. Thanks again!  
  
It was morning judging by the heat of Narbondel, Zourn waking lathered in a cool sweat from the night's nightmare about his last patrol mission sent out of Menzoberranzan. "This isn't normal!" Zourn screamed at himself, "I'm a drow warrior, I know no fear!" In his frustration, he didn't notice his sister standing at the door of his private room. "So this is what Zourn fears?" asked Kalape, "You fear what you cannot defeat." Zourn spat at her feet in disgust. "I'm I wrong then brother?" she replied with no venom or anger. Zourn turned to face her with his usual cockiness, "Have you ever left the city on a patrol to the surface?" he asked. "Of course not, I was still training in Arach-Tinilith" Kalape said with a shrug. "Do you know of the burning globe in the sky?" Zourn said a little more loudly, " Have you ever felt the way it burning your skin? Like it is being ripped off your bones!" Zourn in a frenzy now screamed "Do you know what it is like to be captured and laughed at by the surface elves in their wicked ways, leaving you to burning forever on the damnable surface!" Zourn's face would appear white to the infrared seeing eyes. Kalape trying to calm her volatile brother, "I know not the pains you endured on the surface, but I can share some compassion with what you were put through." She said with true sincerity. Zourn, surprised by his sister's somewhat kind words calmed him. "Why have you come?" He replied. "Matron Jaife requires your assistance on a matter with another house to say the least." Kalape said as she turned and walked out of his room.  
  
Zourn guessing the house to be Baenre, got dressed, strapped his scimitars on and walked to the Grand Hall where Matron Jaife awaited him. Zourn walked down the hall, noticing some of the stares he received when he passed one of the many guards throughout the house. Pushing the giant Grand Hall, doors open noticed that only Matron Jaife was in the chamber sitting on her throne. He walked in letting the magically enchanted doors close themselves, he strode up to Matron Jaife and dropped into a low bow, then going down onto one knee in respect. "Kalape told you about the matter at hand?" she asked. Zourn replied, "She told me only that I was to deal with a house, not naming them though." Jaife grinned, "You will be dealing with House Baenre, if you haven't guessed for yourself Elder boy." Zourn bit his lip at his mother's accuracy of her questioning, "What is the task that I am to perform?" Zourn replied, "Always to the point, you are watch a meeting between two houses, House Baenre, and House Lavin." Zourn surprised that House Baenre would deal with House Lavin so soon after their last conflict. Then again this was Menzoberranzan, where lies could become true without it ever know to be false. "Where is this meeting point?" He replied. Matron smiled, which was a rare thing indeed! "It will take place at Donigarten." Zourn's face flushed at the mention of the place. He had been there once tracking down his younger brother who planned to sell out their house to Lavin. He had offered to let his brother come back in all sincerity, but his brother so much like himself denied any offer of help and tried to kill Zourn. He lost. Zourn noticed he had let his thoughts wander too long, and he might of let too much go. If Matron Jaife would have fond out he would be in trouble himself. "Consider it done Matron Jaife, flawless as always" He got back up and bowed low and swept out of the chamber. Jaife only smiled at her son's eagerness to please her. "My dear son only if you knew . . . . . ."  
  
Zourn went back to his room to equip himself for his mission, pulled out his custom silk black piwafwi when hid his body heat from the heat spectrum eyes , and laid it across his bed. Next, pulling out his oddly enchanted chain mail, that would pulse slightly, when any Underdark creature came within 10 feet of the armor. He slid it over his muscled body, without it making a single chime. Then he clamped on the piwafwi over the chain mail, which held a slot for the ball and chain that held the piwafwi from coming off or being cut by a blade, like most piwafwi's were. Fully out fitted and feeling confident, he left his house on foot rather then having a lizard to worry about to give his position away. This meeting had more important than Zourn could ever imagine. 


	3. Chapter 3: Lies into truth's

Chapter 3: Lies into truth's  
  
Alright guys, I thought I would leave some suspense in the last chapter to  
keep you reading hahahaha. So here it is!  
  
Using a secret door, Zourn tapped three certain stones and the wall moved back silently, just big enough for him to move through. Jumping through, Zourn fell halfway to the 30-foot drop, but put on a levitation spell so it would make him float the rest of the way down. Landing softly on a trap door on the side of House Ea'plh, he opened it and slipped through, and landed outside next to the courtyard. He watched the trap door close with its spring-loaded chain; if it was magic clerics could mark it out and infiltrate the house with ease. He had plenty of time before the meeting, but he liked it when he put the fight on his grounds and his favor. Zourn rushed to the adamantite fence, and moved a single bar, it bent with no resistance, it was designed to bend incase House Ea'plh was attacked; the nobles could go through this part without being seen. Only if the attacking house could defeat House Ea'plh Zourn thought to himself. He slid through without any trouble and set the bar back in place, he noticed that the guard duty had been increased slightly. "Looks like this could be a very important meeting." Thought Zourn.  
  
Turning back to the matter at hand, Zourn wasted no time plotted out his coarse along one of the many ledges, looking over the North-side of Menzoberranzan. From these ledges he could make out House Lavin. Zourn scaled his way up another ledge for a better vantage point, as he made the climb over the ledge he noticed a small band leaving House Lavin, mostly of Bugbears, but Zourn could make-out one drow figure among them. "A distraction or an excuse" Zourn said to himself. The band made it's way southeast towards one of the gorges. "Looks like an excuse" Zourn muttered to himself. Zourn shrugged off any suspicions that he might have had, House Lavin was no threat to him or his house, but he would follow this lone drow. It was never smart to be alone in Menzoberranzan, if fact to be anywhere else with drow reputation. The lone drow figure split from the small band like Zourn anticipated, it moved to the South wall of Menzoberranzan, and made its way to the Isle of Rothe. Zourn, up on the high ledges, also on the South-side followed him from a distance keeping a close watch of his movements. "Venr?" Zourn questioned, "what would that fool be doing out here alone?" This was becoming quite interesting to Zourn now.  
  
"Heh, looks like my Bugbear distraction worked quite well." Venr laughed to himself. He continued to move alone the South wall until he came to the Isle of Rothe. Then cut across the backside of it for cover to make his way towards Donigarten.  
  
"Hm . . . . I know Matron Zeath, is foolish enough to send Venr out alone." Zourn thought. At that moment, his armor pulsed. Zourn, dropped to a crouch, "Where are you?" A few ledges up Alveren Lavin, watched Zourn's sudden defensive movement. "How could he know I am here?" Alveren thought to himself. Not known to him, Zourn's armor had a detection spell.  
  
Zourn still looking around noticed a small and faint heat trail, above him. "Damn! I've been followed!" Screamed silently Zourn to himself. Zourn made his way up a few ledges, to find this new foe, and indeed he did find a foe! As Zourn came over the ledge, he saw Alveren leaning against a wall casually. "I see you found me finally," replied Alveren coolly. Zourn grinned, "Do you think you could had from me that easily?" Alveren looked at him with a puzzled expression, "Why would a try? I wouldn't want to waste my time." Zourn, now angry, "Be gone fool you have no business here!" Alveren replied, "Of course I do, I have to watch my little brother. Oh, but where is your brother? That's right you killed him didn't you?" Alveren laughed in his face, "Isn't that sad?" "You will have no brother or a life when this is over!" Screamed Zourn.  
  
Pulling out his scimitars, Zourn said, "Ready yourself for a fight you cannot win!" Alveren, also determined, pulled out a long sword in one hand and a dirk in the other. "You can't match me fool Ea'plh!" With a burst of rage Zourn charged in blindly, with a double-thrust low, Alveren easily sidestepped out of the way, putting Zourn at a great disadvantage, or so he thought. Alveren went in for a quick kill, but didn't notice that Zourn had kept his right sword arm lower than his own right arm, Zourn seeing the opportunity at hand, snapped his scimitar up, scoring a wicked hit on the bottom of Alveren's forearm. Alveren quickly retracted his bloodied arm in pain, "Damn you!" Alveren screamed. He dropped the long sword, and pulled out a dagger, now holding a dirk and dagger, Alveren stalked in. Zourn given himself space in between and the walk, feinted at Alveren. Alveren smacked his scimitar slash away easily. "Come foolish Alveren, you should have left with your life and pride intact!" Zourn replied with words and not a sword. Alveren, in a fury unsurpassed by anything Zourn had ever seen, charged at him. Zourn smacked the dagger out wide and pinned the dirk against the wall. Then Zourn retracted his left sword arm, and cut off three fingers off Alveren's dirk hand. Alveren screamed in agony, dropping his dirk and dagger, the pain too much for him.  
  
Zourn seeing he had already won, let Alveren step back a few steps. "So . . . ." Alveren calmly said, "You have won, and opponent I could not defeat." Alveren stepped into a low bow, almost falling over from the blood loss. Zourn couldn't help but feel a bit of sadness towards Alveren; after all they were friends at the Academy many years ago. "It doesn't have to end like this Alveren." Zourn replied. Alveren couldn't hide his shock at all. "You could fake your death and be a rouge, you could work for me. Plenty of drow do this to aid one another." Zourn exclaimed. "Do you think Lolth would look upon this with distaste?" Alveren almost cried out. "Pff, Lolth loves intrigue, I think you and I could make a nice little drama for her." Zourn laughed to himself more than to Alveren. "Then let it be done!" Alveren said with all the energy he could muster. "I must see to this meeting, I will leave you some salves and a healing potion, heal yourself and be quick! This meeting between Baenre and your old house won't last long!" Zourn said, while pulling out the salves and healing potion. Zourn, now full of confidence, not thinking at all of his encounter with Alveren, had a job to finish, also now knowing that no one else was following him. Zourn, rushed to Donigarten to get there before the meeting started.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Venr nervously shifted from foot to foot, waiting for the Baenre contact to arrive. In truth Venr, did want to get there first to map out a possible escape route. Then again if he failed his mother again . . . . . a shudder went down his spine. He didn't want to think what would happen this time. Failure wasn't a option. Off to the side, concealed in shadows, the Baenre contact watched Venr with little interest. "Why would the Matron Mother want this fool dead?" thought the contact. He stepped out of the shadows into view of Venr, and said, "Venr Lavin, second boy of House Lavin." Venr stepped back a bit surprised he hadn't noticed him earlier. "How do you fair? Now that you are Elder boy of House Lavin?" Venr, very confused now replied, "What do you mean Elder boy?" Haven't you heard? Alveren has been slain in a fight." The contact remarked. Venr, greatly at a disadvantage and still very confused said "Alveren is House Lavin's Weapon Master no Drow could defeat him!" The contact seeing Venr's unconformable posture, "Do you think House Baenre would lie?" Venr, realizing that he was now in a position of power, and a new found pride. He was the Weapons Master of House Lavin! "Common solider of Baenre, let it be known that I am more skilled than my brother in the ways of sword and mind!" The contact seeing that his work was done, said "I congratulate your promotion." Bowing low, "Although it would seem that now you have to prove your worth to Matron Zeath . . . ." He left it at that and then disappeared into the shadows. Venr not caring at all for the contact leaving, didn't even notice that the contact had left without even giving him the correct information or password. "I am the Weapons Master! All of House Lavin will respect me now!" Venr exclaimed with much excitement. He rushed off not thinking to secure the area, or checking to see if anyone had followed.  
  
Off in the shadows Zourn has saw the whole meeting, he knew better than Venr, that the contact was a fake. Zourn scanned around the area for a few seconds before noticing a small heat trace. He walked over to it, blood. Zourn knew that this had been a ploy. A thought came across his head. What is Alveren, was to lose and they knew that Zourn would offer friendship? The idea sent a shiver down his spine. Zourn didn't like being double crossed. Then again, he could use all of this to an advantage. "Where lies become truth as if they were never false." Zourn laughed to himself and left to head back to Alveren, with a new purpose for his "friend". 


	4. Chapter 4: Deception

Chapter 4: Deception

I am quite pleased that I got another review about my "typing manners."  Jon I don't hate you also lol.  I prefer to know when people are reading so even if you don't see anything wrong . . . . just say hi! Or something . . .  anyways . . . here it!

Alveren had already put the healing potion and salves to use before Zourn came back to him.  "Zourn so much like a drow, and yet . . . . he is so foolish."  Alveren said to himself.  Alveren laid back against the stone, still quite dizzy from the loss of blood, but still aware of the situation he had created.  Tricking his brother with the fake informant and gaining Zourn's "protection" as a rouge.  Alveren thought he had it all figured out.  Zourn had been watching Alveren for the past few minutes; he thought to himself that Alveren was looking a little too comfortable.  A thought went through his head at that moment; why not reinforce Alveren's "trust" in him.  Zourn rushed off to the gorges, where Venr, most likely has left the bugbears in his frenzy of being the new Weapons Master of House Lavin. Zourn took flight from the ledge he had been watching to the gorges.   Just as Zourn has guessed the bugbears still milled about the gorge, Zourn earlier after their battle, without Alveren noticing, had cut off his House emblem.  Zourn tacked it over his own house's emblem and strode up to the bugbears.  The bugbear's snapped their attention to this new drow; they had been commanded to give no notice to anyone that passed, unless they headed towards Donigarten.  Zourn walked straight up to one bugbear and said, "you and your friend are needed to go kill a certain curious drow."  The bugbear greatly confused, didn't reply.  Zourn face flushed with anger, a bit of acting would help he thought, "You dare disobey Venr!  He will have your heads on a pike!"  Zourn straightened his _piwafwi_, showing off the House Lavin emblem.  The bugbear and his partner, took off with all haste towards the ledges where Zourn had pointed for them to go.  The rest of the bugbears stood tentatively waiting for a command, but received none.  Zourn came up behind the bugbears he had sent, and warned them, "The drow will claim that his is of  "our" house!  Go along with it, then when he leaves his defense down . . ." Zourn left it  at that.  

The bugbears found the lone drow with little difficulty, because Alveren was still relaxing against the stonewall.  The two bugbears approached Alveren with the utmost confidence.  Alveren hardly noticed till the bugbear's walked straight up to him, a noble!  "You stupid bugbears do you know who I am!?"  He screamed.  The bugbear's had been told differently, but following Zourn's instructions backed away.  Alveren, never really has put up his defense, they were stupid bugbears after all.  "How dare you insult a noble of House Lavin!" He went on, "I could have your heads ripped off."  Alveren relaxed again and calmed himself.  "Why are you all the way up here?  Aren't you supposed to be at the gorges."  The bugbear's noticed that this "noble" had no house emblem and was wounded.  The bugbears laughed at the drow, for thinking he was a noble.  Alveren, in a rage now pulled out his sword, unable to use his other hand, because of the loss of three of his fingers.  The first bugbear charged in thinking him for a common drow, but he learned different.  Alveren feinted a strike at the bugbear's left side, but then reversed it and slashed the bugbear's right chest.  The bugbear howled, the dropped his club, then charged in, trying to smash Alveren with his body.  The bugbear didn't think about his dropped club, and slipped on it, reversing his falling direction.  Alveren, didn't take in account the club either, and was pinned to the ground.  

Zourn watching from afar thought this would be a good time to come in and save the day.  He rushed in pulling out, his scimitars, he cam up behind the other bugbear and slashed the back of his calf's.  The bugbear, completely caught off guard, looked to find the drow that gave him the commands at his left side.  He gave Zourn a confused look.  Zourn only smiled and plunged his left scimitar in the bugbear's side, ripping through the bottom part of his lung and heart.  The bugbear was dead before he even hit the ground.  Alveren, had noticed Zourn has soon has he had entered the fray.  That was about the only thing he could do, considering the bugbear on top on him.  The bugbear still quite dazed from the fall didn't realize the advantage he had, but it didn't matter, because Zourn was already on top of him, with his scimitar working through the parotid gland, just a bit under the ear straight through the neck.  The cut quietly killed him because his jaw went limp from the vicious cut.  Alveren, still under the dead bugbear, who was covered in blood and salvia, cried out "Get me from under this drooling beast!"  Zourn only laughed.  Alveren was quite glad that Zourn had shown up, and also made him believe his trice had worked quite well.

* * * * *

Venr, had arrived at his house earlier, and didn't care at all about the stupid bugbears.  His was the Weapons Master!  He immediately started to move his brother's old things out his room, and started to move his own stuff in.  Venr's older sister, Shanese had noticed her brother's excited movements.  "What are you doing you irrational fool?"  She asked with pure distaste.  "You had better learn to respect the new Weapons Master!"  Venr put a lot of emphasis on his new title.  Shanese, not understanding, "What?"  Venr, thinking of being cool replied, "I am the Weapons Master of House Lavin, and thus I demand your respect!"  Shanese thinking her brother had been hit on the head pulled out his six-headed whip and gave it a good crack.  "Young brother your about to learn the meaning of respect!"  Venr, still very confident pulled out his short sword, and taunted her.  "Do come sister let me teach you the sting of my blade!"  Shanese shocked by the boldness of his brother heisted.  "I see you now realize the power of the new Weapons Master!" cried Venr with pure delight.  He sheathed his sword, and went back to moving stuff from room to room.  Shanese, still shocked, went to seek her Matron Zeath's word on this matter.


End file.
